ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 27, 1995 TAG: 9512270091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
Midway through the second quarter of Tuesday's William Byrd-Patrick Henry boys' high school basketball game, the Patriots were trailing by a point (22-21) and feeling pretty smug.
The day after Christmas. No school this week. Turkey for supper. Playing an undefeated team even up. Does it get any better than this?
Unfortunately for the Patriots, they picked the wrong time to relax.
In the last two minutes of the first half and the first two minutes of the second, Byrd went on a 19-2 run and waltzed to a 74-51 win in the opener of the eight-team NationsBank Holiday Hoops tournament at the Salem Civic Center.
Byrd advances to the semifinals to play the Salem tonight at 7:45. PH plays Glenvar at 2 p.m. today in a loser's bracket game.
The Terriers (6-0) were led by Chris Childress' game-high 23 points, 16 of which came after intermission. Frank English and Chris Blackwell each scored 13, and Mayo Wilson added 10.
Childress entered Tuesday's game averaging nearly 30 points per game, and the Patriots clearly were focusing on him defensively. But the senior forward missed just two field-goal attempts in the second half as Byrd converted several turnovers into breakaway layups.
``We've got some guys other than Childress who can play,'' Byrd coach Paul Barnard said. ``But Chris did a good job keeping his poise when Patrick Henry was defending him so tightly.''
``We were just outhustled,'' Patriots coach Woody Deans said. ``We got a real good effort out of Colby Leftwich on the defensive end [holding Childress to seven points in the first half]. Other than that, we just weren't getting the effort we needed.''
Guard Ronnie Kasey paced PH (4-4) with 14 points, but most of them came late in the final quarter against Byrd's reserves.
Byrd committed 11 fouls, only eight before Barnard substituted freely. PH was limited to two points from the free-throw line before Kasey made four in a row near the end.
The Patriots played Tuesday without leading scorer Boo Battle, who was benched for missing a recent practice. Deans said Battle will play today.
In the other game of the day, Riverside (from Durham, N.C.) defeated Franklin County 67-56. The Pirates (7-0) overcame a 15-point deficit to remain undefeated.
Antoine Morman led Riverside with 23 points. Franklin County (1-7) got 19 points from K.C. Hancock.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB